u8o __ Contemplations. LIB·.?XVIII.. j his vory Affe bath both her mouth miraculoufiy opened,and her <y<<;to f« and no. 1 A ~· tifie that Angelt, which was hid from her Mafter: Yea, Satan himfclfe fomerimes recrives notice from God of his f_urure aaions,which elfe that evill Spirit could neither foretell, nor forde~.Thefe krndes ofgraces.are both rare,an_d c~mmon: rare,in I that they are feldome grven to any : common, m that they are tndtfferently given 1 to the evill, and ro the good: Alittle holineffe is worth much illumination. Whether our ofenvy,to heare that fa id by the Seer of JuJ•, which he eithtr knew ' not or fmothered; to heare rhat done by another,which he could not have effeded 1 and could not choofe but admire :or whether our ofdelire to make tryall of the fi~ delity offo powerful! aMeffenger,theold Prophet haliens ro overtlkc, to recal rhat man ofGod, ~vho had fo defyed his Bllhtl; whom he finds ti~ting faint & weary un. der an Oake, m the way ; takmg the benefir ofthat ll1ade whtch he lmed to rec<il'e 8 from thofeconragious groves that he had!eRbehind him : His habit eatily bewrayed him; to a man ofhis owne trade:neither doth his tongue fpare to profelfe him !elf. The old Prophet of Btthelinvltes him to murne, to a repafr: and is anhvered with thefame words, wherewith ltrlbw•u offerwas repelled; The man ofGod varies not a fyllable fromhismdf.1ge: ltconcernesusrorakegoodheedofourcharge, when we goe on Gods errand. A deniall doth bur invite the importunate; wbar bee cannot doe by entreaty, the oldman tries todoe by perfwalion,/ •m • Pr~phtt •lfo M tb1o •rt,Ana •n ..Angel/}ake ID meh the word I( the LorJ, faying,Bri11g him hA<k .,;th 1 tbteintllhine h•ufi,that hetltaJ e•t bre•d, ~"' Jrinke .,.m: There is no tenrat.ion fo dangerous, as that which comeslhrouded under a vaile ofholillelfe,and pretends au- ~ choritie ofGod himfdfe: Imhwn threatens, the Prophet llands undaunted; Imbo· C .,. fawnes,and promifes,the Prophet holds con.llast,oowcomes a gray·h~ad,d Seerj and pleads acounter-meffage from God, the Prophetyeelds and tranfgreff<:S. Satan may affright us as a fiend, but he feduces us as an Angel oflighc, 1 • ,, Who would have lookt for a lyer under hoary haires, and:~n holy mantle~ who would nor have rrufted that gravity, when there was no colour of anygaiaein the unrruth~Nothing is fo apt to deceive as the fairell fembl~nm,as the fwcccell words. We cannot erre ihve beleeve not the fpeech for the perfoo, but the perfon for rhe fpeccb:Well might this manofGod thinke,an aged man,a Propher,an·old Prophet will not (fure) bely God unto aProphet;No man will forge a lye, bur for anadvant:Jge 1 What can this man gaine by this match, but the entertainment of an unprofitable gudl~Perlups though God will notalloll me to feall witi,J Imb~a"', yet pity- D iog my faintneffe,he may allowme to eat with aProphet: Perhaps now that I have approved my fidelity io refuling the breadofBethe/,Godlhinkfgood tofend.me a gracious rdeafe ofthat llriCl chargr: Why lhoufd I think that Gods revelations are nor as free to others, 1S to me~ and ifthis Prophet liavereceiveila counrer{D!.lad from I an Angel! ofGod, how fhalll oot difobey God, if!docnot follow him~ ·' Upon this gro~nd he returneswith rhis..tectitfull hofr, and when t!•c meat was now in his mouth, receives the true meffagebf death, fro rhf f~me lipsthatbrought. him the falfe melfage of11is invitation; Thus faith the Lord,for 44 ••<b « th.1» haft difobtytd the mouth ifthe L~rJ,and h•jf 1111 kept rh<~lmm•n.it.,_l,tof tfot.Lm( 1/Jy CJ.od, but ~umjl bA&k ailtfh•fl wen brtaa,•na J,,v..,aurJt~the plA&([or}iddtn-tf..(t;1hJ <llrkaf!efh•/1 nDI e~me ." 1 he s eet.t&htr of~ h1 fatkf~s. 0 b...v.,fu~ Prophet,lj'hcp' h•~lts oil i his hofr he fees htS cxecuttoner,whtles he cs feedlng ofhtSbor:ly,h~ hea~ ofbts carkalfe;at the table, he hearcs o£his denied 5optllcbcr;and all thh,for catipganddrin· kingwhere he was !qrbidden l)y God,thougb bidden asfrQm.God:Tb~\'lQL1tionof the kall charge ofa God is morraii:Nd pd:~bcps can warr~l)~the.!mnfgrellioQ ofa. divine command: A word from God is plc:adedonborh ti<tcs:The one W':iJi~eivtd immediately from..God, the orher related medill(dy by man; Ope the,Proj>llttt.was fwu! of. the otherwas quefiionable>A fure Jvord o6God may nor be left 10r/albllll£erraiod\n expreffe charge ofthe: Almighty'<~dmitteth aot·of any cbeck:HiOYilis but odr,.ashimfelfe is 1 and therefore it is our.oHhc danger of~o\)lradi<:liol!•·rl•·'·" ' Mnhinks Ifce !he man of.&Idchange:: countenance at t'!ics lharpe fa1141c4f,his pluli\lg morfds1hisf.!cebefore?.baod is died.with the palen<lfe ofdr;,:trh;m~ipk_; I 1 ,it! r . ) htare ~~~----~--~--~--------------
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